Reasons why an abusive relationship is bad for your health

It may seem obvious that living in an abusive relationship day in and day out will be bad for your health but here is a reminder :

Pregnancy

Domestic abuse often starts or gets worse during pregnancy – it can cause many problems during pregnancy including miscarriage, premature labour and stillbirth. Being in an abusive relationship is not healthy for mother or baby.

I was diagnosed with Post-Natal Depression but what was causing the depression was the situation at home. My baby was fretful obviously picking up on the stress and I was exhausted. I wish I had spoken out and got help then rather than waiting.

Karen, Slough.

Negative Coping Strategies

Alcohol misuse and substance misuse are much more common amongst people in an abusive relationship than others but this is often a coping strategy, a way to deal with the ongoing stress of living with an abuser.

Exhaustion

Insomnia coupled with exhaustion is common – being on high alert constantly makes it difficult to sleep and ‘walking on eggshells’ and the constant demands of the abuser leads to exhaustion

Mental Health Problems

Most people experiencing domestic abuse suffer from some
degree of anxiety and depression – there can be panic attacks, self-harm, Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) or obsessive compulsive disorders and longer-term
chronic mental health conditions.

Longer-Term Health Problems

There is research showing links between being in an abusive relationship and the worsening of many other long-term conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic nerve pain, asthma, migraine and high blood pressure